Ever drooled over a beautiful actress on TV wearing a gorgeous designer dress? Ever idolised a celebrity and seen her as perfect - a role model in fact?

But hang on a minute! Why should we only think of celebrities as role models? What about the people we see every day who we really like? Can’t we see them as role models too?

The reason we even have role models is that we all need somebody to look up to and act like. So wouldn’t it be better if we actually knew the people we admire?

If you look around your school, family, work, outside-school activities or local communities, you are sure to find many people who would be great role models. They can be parents or school captains, they can be other people too, such as a teacher or coach.

I have had celebrity role models in the past, but I’ve realised this is a mistake. Now my role model is our school choir’s wonderful conductor who also belongs to the Choral Society.

The reason I look up to her is that she is hard-working, kind, funny and able to solve any problem that comes her way.

She is able to conduct a group of misbehaving students in the afternoon, while also having to do a performance that night! This shows me she has a strong personality and she is very capable. It also helps because I have a friendship with her - I let her call me Dilie (only three people are allowed to call me that!) and at times I call her Mausi (which means Aunt in Hindi).

Having a friendship with your role model allows you to see the real person and to decide whether they deserve the honour. So, you see, a role model can be someone you admire because you know them, see something special in them and want to be a bit like them.

It’s super lucky and special to have a role model who you know well. It helps when you want to ask for advice to see what they would do in a given situation. It’s helpful too that you get to observe them in all sorts of moods and circumstances.